My post on the Pope's message, and it is important to note that I am not a Catholic, was meant to show that there were very specific conditions placed on evolutionary theories in that message in order to make them compatible with the Roman Catholic Church's teachings. One of which, is essentially that atheistic evolution is incompatible.(What is atheistic evolution? One that prohibits the involvement of God, namely --theories of evolution which, in accordance with the philosophies inspiring them, consider the spirit as emerging from the forces of living matter or as a mere epiphenomenon of this matter). It is readily evident that many here describe Darwinian evolution in just those terms.
Thank you for your courteous reply. I agree with every statement in it. But my point about the Pope accepting evolution as being within Catholic teaching (with the caveats you point out), stands. Therefore, evolution in and of itself is not "atheistic." That's the point I'm trying to make.
I'm not claiming that everyone agrees with the Pope, I'm merely pointing out that it's possible to be a practicing Christian and a believer in evolution both.
Can you agree with that? I think so.
Can Gore3000? Obviously not. He/She/It seems to think that he/she/it has demonstrated that evolution must somehow be atheistic. I'm sure that's G3K's opinion, but as far as having demonstrated the general truth of the opinion ... well ... I saw more convincing slight-of-hand at my son's fifth-grade talent show.